Video slot machines are well known and are quite popular with players. In a basic form, the player makes a wager to play the game and enables one or more pay lines on a video display. Upon prompting play, a processor selects and displays game symbols on the display in a matrix form, typically in a three row, five column matrix. Each column represents a reel for the slot machine. The symbols on any enabled pay line are compared to a schedule of winning outcomes to determine if a winning or a losing outcome have been obtained. Where a winning outcome is obtained the player receives an award based upon an established pay table for the game. The player then makes another wager, enables one or more pay lines and plays another game (often referred to as a “hand” or “spin”).
The awards issued can be game credits, prizes or the like. For actual casino games, the awards correspond to a monetary amount or a physical prize. For novelty versions of these games, the award is simply accumulation of game credits.
To make such games more entertaining, it is known to provide certain configurations of bonuses. The bonus may be triggered by a certain combination of symbols on a pay line or scattered on the display (a “scatter prize”). It is also known to provide secondary screens for issuing a bonus. That is, when the player obtains a certain, predetermined outcome, the game processor displays a secondary screen where the player can select from certain options to obtain their bonus. For example, in one game, the player selects by a touch screen from between several displayed “pigs”, the selected pig, in an animated fashion, revealing the bonus. The bonus can be a fixed amount, usually a function of the amount wagered, or a multiplier which multiplies the amount won.
In the aforementioned games, the game matrix includes a static border, which may be only used to display the amount of the wager for each enabled pay line. There is a need for a new game which employs and uses the game matrix border as a means to display the selection of multipliers, bonuses, free spins or the like.
There is also need for a new game which provides for new and different bonuses to enhance the entertainment value of the game for the player.
There is also a need for a game which includes multiple bonus offerings for a primary game wherein the primary game and bonuses can be cooperatively themed.